Video seeks to capture Fishing Derby's 'essence'

Professional photographer Bob Manley thought he would feel like a fish out of water when he hit the ice to take in the sights at last year's Great Rotary Fishing Derby.

His impression was wrong and he left with enough images and heartwarming stories to prompt him to enlist a crew to begin preparing for a documentary film on the event. Shooting will begin when this year's derby takes place from Feb. 9-10.

"(Last year) I spent almost the entire derby on the ice wandering around photographing and meeting people. It was a profound experience ... there are so many angles and this is a story that needs to be told," said Manley.

Manley, 43, of Sanbornton, spends most of his time snapping photos with a digital camera, but his experience at the 2007 derby was enough to prompt him to call his brother Don Manley and a friend Michel Scthakleff — both from Rhode Island.

Manley's brother and Scthakleff have experience writing and directing plays and have also dabbled in film-making.

All three attended California Institute for the Arts and are preparing for a project that they hope will produce what they believe will be the first documentary film on the Meredith Rotary Club's signature fund-raising event, which draws thousands to the Lakes Region each year for one of the largest derbies in New England.

Bob Manley said he has always been interested in the derby but never understood what drew nearly 6,000 people into the area to make temporary residence on the region's frozen lakes and ponds.

He explained that he got a better idea when he photographed the event last year and was taken aback by the kindness and generosity of those fishing in the bobhouse colony on Meredith Bay.

Manley said he talked with numerous fishermen and their families who were willing to tell their stories and were equally generous with their food and drink.

He recalled one man telling him the story of how his father had been taking him to the derby for more than 20 years.

The man's father had died, but the angler had brought his son to the event for the first time and was emotional about an experience that is a family tradition for hundreds.

"He just about came to tears telling me that story. It's heart-warming to hear them," said Manley.

Manley has plenty of digital camera images of the derby from last year but felt its "essence" couldn't be fully captured without video and audio.

The budding film-maker said he was equally impressed with the effort put in to hold the derby by the dedicated members of the Meredith Rotary Club. He noted that the event is a huge undertaking that is done in the name of raising money for local charities, to which it has provided more than $1.2 million during its 27 years in existence.

"It's a Herculean effort put on by a lot of dedicated people," said Manley.

Manley said this year's effort will see his team heading out onto the ice for the entire weekend to begin capturing images and sound that can be used as the trailer for a film that they hope they can get grant funding to produce.

The group hopes the actual film can be shot at next year's derby.

In the meantime, Manley has been studying up on all things derby-related and has focused his efforts on researching what goes into putting it on. He has been attending Meredith Rotary meetings on the derby and was present when the derby trailer was set up in the Meredith Bay headquarters this week.

He said the goal will be to capture the true feeling of an event that he likened to a "big family out on the ice."

However he said he needs the public's help in making the film a success.

"We are looking for pictures, film, video, newspaper clippings, paraphernalia and just good stories from past derbies that will be helpful in telling the derby's story," said Manley.

If you have any of this material that you would like to share, please contact Bob Manley at 603-253-7968, or email him at bobbobdonpaul.com.

In Addition, Bob, Don, and Michel are looking for sponsors to help raise funds for the films production.